title: RORC and Foxp3 axis in cerebrospinal fluid of patients with neuro-Behçet's disease.
abstract: Neurological manifestations are present in 5% to 30% of patients with Behçet's disease (BD). Neuro-Behçet's Disease (NBD) is hypothetically caused by T helper (Th) cells, which development is dependent on the expression of lineage-specific transcription factors. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) mRNA expression of TBX21, GATA3, RORC, FOXP3 and EBI3 were assessed in 18 NBD patients and 26 controls disease [16 noninflammatory neurological disease (NIND) and 10 headache attributed to Behçet's disease (HaBD)]. Expression of TBX21 (Th1), RORC (Th17) and Foxp3 (Treg) were increased in NBD patients compared to HaBD and NIND patients. EBI3 and Th2-associated GATA3 expressions were found to be decreased (P<0.0001 and P<0.0001) in NBD patients. Analysis of transcription factor ratios, revealed an increase in the RORC/FOXP3 and TBX21/GATA3 ratios in NBD patients (P<0.0001; P<0.0003). Our findings indicate that both Th1 and Th17 mRNA expressions involving a possible impairment of Treg cells. This might play a role in CSF-NBD inflammation, permitting activation of harmful T cell subpopulations. The TBX21/GATA3 and RORC/FOXP3 ratios dysregulations in NBD are consistent with those reported in other inflammatory diseases and indicating the plasticity existing between Th1, Th17 and Treg cells during inflammation.
authors.affiliation: Tunis El Manar University, Medicine Faculty of Tunis, Homeostasis and Cell Dysfunction Unit Research UR/99/08-40, Tunisia. kamel.hamzaoui@gmail.com
authors.forename: Kamel
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hamzaoui
authors.forename: Afshin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Borhani Haghighi
authors.forename: Imed Ben
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: Ghorbel
authors.forename: Habib
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Houman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D057132:Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 3 / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D057132:Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 3; C539900:RORC protein, human